Minn. man accused of raping past burglary victim

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minnesota man on furlough from prison removed an ankle bracelet that monitored his whereabouts, returned to the home of his prior burglary victim and raped her, authorities said Friday.

Curtez Deshawn Graham, 18, of St. Paul, told police he wanted to scare the 65-year-old woman and send her a message because he was mad that she sent him away for 14 months, according to the criminal complaint. Graham is charged with eight counts, including criminal sexual conduct.

He appeared in Ramsey County District Court on Friday, but proceedings were continued to next week. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.

According to the criminal complaint, Graham first entered the woman's home in October 2011 and robbed her at knifepoint. She called police, but Graham was not caught. A month later, he entered her home again with a bandanna over his face and demanded money. At some point during that incident, he said he returned because the woman was so nice the first time, and added: "Now remember — you didn't call the police last time, don't call them this time," the complaint said.

Graham was later arrested and placed in Boys Totem Town, a residential campus for delinquent juveniles. He ran away in March 2012 and was then sent to the state prison in Red Wing.

Last week, he was placed on a 10-day furlough and was being monitored by an ankle bracelet, but he cut it off, the complaint said. Authorities began searching for him, and the Ramsey County Attorney's Office told the burglary victim that Graham had run away.

Early Wednesday, the woman and a man were awakened by Graham, who was naked in their bedroom, holding a pair of scissors. The criminal complaints say Graham ordered the man to put a pair of underwear in his mouth and tie himself up, threatening to kill him if he did not.

Graham then raped the woman. He ordered her to shower afterward and demanded money. When he left, he said: "Don't call the police — I can come and get you anytime," the complaint said.

Graham was arrested Wednesday night. At first he denied the rape, but said he went to the house to scare the woman and send a message. He eventually said the attack wasn't supposed to happen and he stopped because he's "not that kind of person," the complaint said. He also said he was drunk.

John Schadl, a spokesman with the Minnesota Department of Corrections, said he could not speak about this case because Graham was sentenced as a juvenile and state law forbids him from disclosing details about juvenile sentences.

Schadl said as a general rule, if an offender were to cut an ankle bracelet, the Corrections Department would take a hard look at its policies to ensure they were followed, and see if they need to be revised.